Voigtländer Super Wide-Heliar VM 15mm f/4.5 Asph. III (made in Japan by Cosina):
Take a walk on the wide side with one of the best propositions from the world of super-wide imagery.
At only 247 grams, this little marvel will not break your back (nor your wallet, for that matter). Contrasted and very sharp all over, almost completely distortion-free (rectilinear), it boasts a near-focus distance of 50 cm and has endless supplies of depth of field (it will turn your camera into a point-and-shoot at pretty much any aperture).
Not prone to flare, even in situations where the sun in the frame, it will yield crisp, gorgeous sunstars thanks to its 10-blades, straight-leafed diaphragm.
This lens truly shines between f/5.6 and f/8.
The best profile for it on Leica M9 is 11626 (16-18-21 Tri-Elmar f/4 @ 16 mm), and its 6-bit code is 010000.
REVIEWS:
https://alikgriffin.com/voigtlander-15mm-f4-5-heliar-iii-review-sample-images/
https://jacktaka.com/voigtlander-15mm-f45
https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-voigtlander-15mm-4-5-e-super-wide-heliar/
ZEISS 21mm f/2,8 Biogon T* ZM (made in Japan by Cosina):
The 21 mm focal has always been the super-wide standard for Leica M, and this little Zeiss fits the bill perfectly.
Small, light (258 grams), fast, insanely sharp, contrasted, flare-resistant and distortion-free, it is one of the very best M-mount lenses available.
It can lend itself to some dramatic, extreme portrait-taking, thanks to a minimum focusing distance of 50 cm.
Equipped with a straight-bladed 10-leafed diaphragm, it will also produce beautiful sun-stars.
This lens reaches optimal performance at f/8.
The ideal profile for it is 11134 (Leica Elmarit-M 21 mm f/2.8 pre-Asph.), and its 6-bit code is 000001.
REVIEWS:
https://www.kenrockwell.com/zeiss/zm/21mm-f28.htm
https://www.macfilos.com/2022/01/07/the-m-files-12-zeiss-zm-biogons-21-and-28-and-tele-tessar-85/
LEICA Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 Asph. (made in Germany):
For those of you who practice an aggressive, ‘‘in-your-face’’ type of street photography (think Garry Winogrand)…
This is the smallest, lightest (180 grams) lens made by Leica, and one of the sharpest and best-corrected wide-angles (no distortion, no flare).
It is so small that it never blocks the viewfinder, which is quite a feat for such a wide lens.
It is saturated, contrasted yet subtle, and will treat you with plenty of texture at both ends of the exposure spectrum.
This lens reaches peak performance at f/5.6, has a minimum focusing distance of 0.7 meters, and a straight 10-bladed diaphragm (nice sun-stars here too…).
Set the aperture at f/8, focus at 3 meters, and you will shoot faster than your shadow, provided that your adrenaline level is high enough…
As with all modern Leica glass, it comes readily 6-bit coded from the factory.
REVIEWS:
http://joerivanderkloet.com/leica-elmarit-m-282-8-asph-review/
https://keithwee.com/2024/01/08/leica-28mm-f2-8-elmarit-apsh-review-the-little-gem-of-a-lens/
https://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/28mm-f28.htm
https://photo.imx.nl/styled-10/leica/lenses/page85.html
https://www.35mmc.com/22/05/2016/leica-28mm-elmarit-m-asph-review/
LEICA Summicron-M 35mm f/2 Asph. (made in Germany):
Leica’s current best-seller for many reasons, this jack-of-all-trades is equally at ease with street photography (same here: aperture at f/8, focus at 3 meters if you want to go hyperfocal…), social documentary (think Robert Frank), as well as with portraiture (close-focus distance of 70cm), architecture, landscape, etc…
Its moderately wide angle of view allows one to stand close enough to a scene, minimizing the possibility of contamination (people popping up between the photographer and the main subject), yet without exaggerating the perspective thus risking to portray people in a grotesque fashion.
Its inconspicuousness (tiny and weighing only 255 grams) also contributes in making it a favorite among street photographers.
This contrasted, saturated and super-sharp lens has no visible distortion and also comes with a 6-bit factory-coded mounting flange.
It reaches best performance with its 8-bladed (straight) diaphragm stopped down to f/4.
REVIEWS:
https://findingrange.com/2014/11/10/leica-35mm-summicron-m-f2-0-asph-review/
http://gear.vogelius.se/-reviews/leica-summicron-35-asph/index.html
https://jacktaka.com/leica-35mm-f2
https://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/35mm-f2-asph.htm
https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/the-leica-35-summicron-asph-lens-review/
Voigtländer Nokton VM 50mm f/1.2 Asph. (made in Japan by Cosina):
This beauty was a true game-changer when it first hit the market back in 2018, and it remains an amazing offer.
Priorly, the only super-fast, high-quality 50mm options for M-mount were to be found in the LEICA stable (various versions of Summilux and Noctilux). Of course, these are all extraordinary achievements, pushing the limit of what is feasible when money is no issue…
Voigtländer, with this lens, has for the first time ever put within reach of the honest photographer a super-fast lens that actually does more than rely on an f-number as a selling point.
They really knocked it out of the park with this one! It is crazy-sharp in the centre starting at full aperture, and keeps improving in the corners as one stops down.
Pretty much immune from any visible distortion, it reaches optimum aperture at about f/5,6 where it beats the LEICA Summicron pre-Asph. (Version 4) on pretty much the whole field, except for the extreme corners…
At f/1.2 and at close range, the depth of field is paper-thin, and the bokeh is to die for (12 straight blades diaphragm), with a near-focus of 70cm allowing for tight cropping.
It is a bit wide, having an actual focal length of 49.2mm, especially when compared to the Summicron-M version 4 (52.2mm).
It also is also warmer, more saturated and more contrasted than the Summicron, and seems -for some obscure reason- to have less depth of field at equivalent apertures…
Surprisingly small and light for such a fast lens, it weighs only 395 grams (424 grams with the beautiful but pricey LH-10 lens hood).
Due to its chrome-plated front ring (and not the optical group itself), this lens can be prone to flare, and leaving a UV filter or the lens hood on is recommended.
The most appropriate profile for it is 11114 (LEICA Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 pre-Asph.), with a 6-bit code of 000101.
REVIEWS:
https://www.47-degree.com/focus-shift/Voigtlander-Nokton-50mm-1-2-Aspherical-VM-review
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1561782/0
http://gear.vogelius.se/-reviews/voigtlander-nokton-50/index.html
https://www.lhsa.org/blog/2018/12/voightlander-50-1-2-nokton-lens-review?rq=nokton
https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-voigtlander-vm-50mm-1-2-nokton/
https://tahusa.co/lens-review/voigtlander-nokton-50mm-f1-2-aspherical-vm-review/
https://www.35mmc.com/23/09/2019/voigtlander-50mm-1-2-review/
LEICA Summicron-M 50mm f/2 Version 4 (made in Germany):
It owes its name to the Latin ‘‘summus’’ (supreme) and German ‘‘krone’’ (as in ‘‘kronglas’’ or ‘‘crown glass’’, referring to the thoriated glass being used in the original design). It first appeared in 1953 (in screw-mount version), therefore preceding the Leica M system itself by one year, and is still in production today (in its revised, fifth iteration). That makes it the longest production lens in the history of Leica, and its all-time best seller (all five versions comprised).
The reference among standard focal (50mm) lenses, representing a near-perfect balance between optical parameters (sharpness, texture, contrast, saturation, lack of distortion, flatness of field) it also is very small and light (198 grams), and thanks to its classical imaging aesthetics, is really the one to acquire before any other Leica lens.
As far as sharpness is concerned, it comes second only to the new and hugely expensive Summicron 50mm Apo-Aspherical (although Voigtlander is now offering the Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical…). Then again, the Version 4 Summicron is more than sharp enough for even the most demanding photographer, and as Cartier-Bresson rightly stated: “Sharpness is a bourgeois concept”. Also, it is smaller and lighter than these former two, and sports a focusing tab.
Already extremely sharp wide open, this masterpiece achieves maximum center sharpness at f/2.8, and reaches best overall performance at f/4, with corner to corner sharpness, excellent contrast and negligible vignetting.
The 50mm focal length offers a flatter, less dramatic perspective than the 35mm or 28mm, allowing the photographer not only to distance himself from the subject, but also to turn reality into (sometimes abstract) composition, using vectors, shapes and patterns, balancing elements of different densities and sizes in order to create dynamics (think Henri Cartier-Bresson).
It also produces less distorted, more natural and flattering portraits (even at its near focus distance of 0.7 meters).
I prefer the 4th version over the 5th since both share the exact same optics, while the previous one is lighter (and as it turns out, happens to be Leica’s smallest 50mm f/2 lens), is equipped with a focusing tab (essential for eyes-off zone focusing), and has a nicer, better, latch-on lens hood (quite necessary on this flare prone lens, the best being the aluminum ‘‘#12585’’ version).
An old but neat little 50 ‘Cron trick: when dealing with stark, harsh lit situations, closing the diaphragm down to f/5.6 will contribute to extending the dynamic range, adding texture and coaxing more details from the shadow areas, without impacting the sharpness.
In order to get the best out of this wonderful lens, one should keep these aperture settings in mind:
f/2 for maximum speed and shallowest depth of field.
f/2.8 for improved (over f/2) center sharpness combined with good bokeh (selective focus).
f/4 for best overall performance (great contrast and sharpness, less vignetting).
f/5.6 for added texture in the shadow areas (as well as optimal vignetting control), and best overall sharpness.
f/8 for great sharpness over the entire field (even, corner to corner).
The profile number of the Summicron-m 50mm Version 4 is 11819, and its 6-bit code is 100001 (older lenses were not factory-coded, but a 6-bit ring can easily be found over eBay).
REVIEWS:
https://www.chuckhawks.com/leica_50mm_summicron-M.htm
http://findingrange.com/2012/02/24/the-leica-50-summicron-f2-0-lens-review/
http://gear.vogelius.se/-reviews/leica-summicron-50/index.html
https://jacktaka.com/leica-50mm-f2-summicron
http://joerivanderkloet.com/leica-50-summicron-review/
https://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/50mm-f2-m.htm
https://www.lenstip.com/index.php?test=obiektywu&test_ob=205
https://www.opticallimits.com/leicam/678-summicron50
https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2010/02/01/the-leica-50-summicron-lens-review/
LEICA Elmarit-M 90mm f/2.8 Type 2 (made in Germany):
The best 90mm f/2.8 ever made by Leica, this moderately long focal lens is absolutely perfect in every way.
Its small dimensions and weight (395 grams), retractable lens hood, excellent ergonomics and nearest focusing distance of 1 meter make it a practical, travel-friendly portrait lens.
Contrasted, saturated and superlatively sharp already at full aperture, it reaches optimal performance with its gorgeous 9-bladed (straight) diaphragm stopped down to f/5.6.
The 90mm focal length is viewed by many as perfect for portraiture, giving the subject enough space to feel comfortable while producing a very pleasing perspective. it also allows for a good separation from the background.
Very well corrected, and devoid of coma, distortion, and chromatic aberration, its flatness of field makes it a fantastic copy shot lens when used with the Visoflex system.
REVIEWS:
https://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/90mm-f28.htm
https://lavidaleica.com/content/leica-2890-elmarit-m
https://moritzrecke.com/leica-elmarit-m-90mm-f28-losing-a-stop-and-a-burden/
https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2010/06/22/the-leica-90-elmarit-m-f2-8-quick-lens-review/
LEICA Tele-Elmar 135mm f/4 Type 1 (made in Germany):
THE absolute bargain of the Leica universe (sounds like an oxymoron…). This is one of Leica’s best-kept secrets.
Let not the low price mislead you, this lens is absolutely fantastic. It is crazy sharp, saturated, contrasted (yet prone to flare, just use a lens hood…). Extremely well corrected, it is in fact an evolved, bettered version of the famous Zeiss Sonnar 135mm f/4 found on the Rolleiflex Tele.
Being the longest offering for the Leica rangefinder system (besides exclusively Visoflex-mounted lenses), it provides a very flattering perspective which, paired with a nearest focusing distance of 1.5 meters makes for a fantastic portrait lens . Its nearly two-dimensional quality also make it ideal for creating abstract, stark, dynamic compositions (especially in black and white).
Its slow aperture prevents it from being of much use for music venues or other stage events (at least, indoors), but then again, the precision of the Leica-M rangefinder focusing system reaches its limits here, even at f/4… It is a strong performer in the context of open-air, day-lit events though.
This represents a true feat of optical engineering, still seldom matched 55 years after its introduction, and it reaches optimal performance with its 10-bladed (straight) diaphragm stopped down to f/5.6. Closing the diaphragm this way will also contribute in increasing the depth of field and help coping with the limits of the rangefinder system when associated with such a long focal lens.
Due to its bulk and weight (505 grams), it is not a convenient lens for travelling, also considering that its usefulness is limited to very specific subjects.
A neat thing with this lens is that the optical group can be unscrewed from the focusing ring and used in conjunction with the Visoflex via a special, separate focusing ring in order to turn your rangefinder camera into a long-focal reflex…!
P.S.: Two versions of this lens exist: ‘‘Scallopped’’, followed in production chronological order by ‘‘Unscallopped’’, which refers to the surface of the focusing ring. They share the exact same optics.
REVIEWS:
https://casualphotophile.com/2020/10/12/leitz-tele-elmar-135mm-f-4-review/
http://www.marcocavina.com/articoli_fotografici/Leitz_Tele-Elmar_135mm_4/00_pag.htm
https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-leica-135mm-4-0-tele-elmar/